[anti-sleep]

I'm sure you guys here are sick of posts like these, so if that is the case, just ignore this.

For those of you still reading, do you think it would be a mistake to buy a Powerbook within the next three months and not wait for the 970 to make it into the laptop line? I will need to keep this computer through most of college, so I want it to be able to last a few years.

Thanks for any advice you can give me.

[ae86_16v]

Dood...if you need a Powerbook now I say just get one. The real question is whether you should wait for the Al15 or not.

But you could always wait for the next best thing. Apple updates their line every 6 months or so you could always wait forever.

Anyways, I think the powerbook out now are good. And by most estimates, the 970 in a powerbook is probably still a year away or maybe at the end of the year. So the question is do you wanna wait for at least 6 months for the 970?

If I were you and you could afford a powerbook now, just get one.

Another thing to keep in mind is that it depends on what you are doing? If you aren't going to be doing much CPU intensive apps then the current G4 is perfectly fine. But if you must have the power, then wait. And apple will always support the older systems. You could still run Jag on a lot of the older G3s.

I am waiting for the Al15, I just really like the look of the AL.

Goodluck.

[Eug]

As I've said in other threads, if you are going to wait for the 970, you're going to be waiting a long time.

The next refresh of the PB line may bring an AluBook 15", but it's likely to be a G4. It may pay to wait until then though since we're due for an update in the next couple of months. But just don't get your hopes up for a 970, because it ain't gonna materialize.

[Jerman]

I am definitely waiting for the 970, as my Powerbook I will buy will have to last me all 4 years of college. (I am going into my senior year).

[craigthomas]

I'm waiting for the 970 in a Powerbook, but I'm using a TiBook 1GHZ, which I love (till then). Not worried how long it takes since this system suits me fine.

[seanyepez]

Originally posted by anti-sleep:
I'm sure you guys here are sick of posts like these, so if that is the case, just ignore this.

For those of you still reading, do you think it would be a mistake to buy a Powerbook within the next three months and not wait for the 970 to make it into the laptop line? I will need to keep this computer through most of college, so I want it to be able to last a few years.

Thanks for any advice you can give me.

Buy what you need now. Don't wait. A single portable computer often doesn't last four years of college. Even if what you buy doesn't break by the time you graduate, it will be horribly outdated. To put things in perspective, it's only been four years since the Lombard PowerBook was released. It doesn't support Quartz Extreme, AirPort, or Bluetooth. It can't even handle Quake III. It also doesn't have DVI output or FireWire.

[Shaddim]

Originally posted by seanyepez:
Buy what you need now. Don't wait. A single portable computer often doesn't last four years of college. Even if what you buy doesn't break by the time you graduate, it will be horribly outdated. To put things in perspective, it's only been four years since the Lombard PowerBook was released. It doesn't support Quartz Extreme, AirPort, or Bluetooth. It can't even handle Quake III. It also doesn't have DVI output or FireWire.

But, with enough RAM, it runs OS X pretty well for the most part. Most apps still have no need for Altivec, and an inexpensive PCMCIA WiFi card will give modest wireless connectivity. True, the Lombard is dated, but with a little patience still gets the job done in most instances... compare that to a 4 year-old PC notebook. Unless you're compelled to have the latest and greatest, mosty PBs seem to have a useable lifespan of 5 years, I still see quite a few Wallstreets being carried around.

[BrunoBruin]

If you're buying a laptop for college, DON'T buy anything until you check with the computer store at the college you'll be attending. They often have good deals on packages for incoming students. Check their Web site; they might already have information available. Most places take orders up to a certain date and then guarantee your machine will be waiting for you when you arrive at school.

Deals here typically include additional RAM, a carrying case, an AirPort card, AppleCare and software like the Office suite, all at a discounted price.

[Eug]

But, with enough RAM, it runs OS X pretty well for the most part. Most apps still have no need for Altivec, and an inexpensive PCMCIA WiFi card will give modest wireless connectivity. True, the Lombard is dated, but with a little patience still gets the job done in most instances... compare that to a 4 year-old PC notebook. Unless you're compelled to have the latest and greatest, mosty PBs seem to have a useable lifespan of 5 years, I still see quite a few Wallstreets being carried around.

Both a 4 year-old PC laptop and a 4 year-old Mac laptop are almost completely unusable IMO. If I had to use a Lombard I'd probably end up throwing it out the Window or ripping my hair out, or both. One of the reasons I sold my iBook 600 was speed.

PCMCIA WiFi cards work but they're extremely irritating sticking out the side and getting in the way of everything, and threatening to break off on your lap. I had one in my PC laptop and I swore never to have one again.

And IMO a more realistic PowerBook lifespan is 3 years, but YMMV.

If you're buying a laptop for college, DON'T buy anything until you check with the computer store at the college you'll be attending.

Good point. Academic discounts can be significant. It can be even higher though the ADC if you're a computer science student or something like that.

I am definitely waiting for the 970, as my Powerbook I will buy will have to last me all 4 years of college. (I am going into my senior year).

Have fun waiting. Anyways, if you can wait until the end of summer that's fine, but don't get your hopes up that a PowerPC 970 based PB will actually materialize. There are still many good reasons to use the G4, and that's what I think Apple will use for the PB line for the time being. Mind you, if you wait a couple of months you'll get the new G4 PowerBook, which would be a nice upgrade anyway. So it can't hurt to wait until then.

[beefstu01]

I'm waiting. I want to wait as long as possible, actually, because if X.3 is soon coming, I'd really like my computer to be preloaded with that shizzy. Plus, since college doesn't really start until September, you've got a while to wait. You probably don't need it right now, so wait, but when you do get our PowerBook, go here-

http://store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Im...dle_terms.html

It's a sweet deal.

[mcs37]

Originally posted by anti-sleep:
For those of you still reading, do you think it would be a mistake to buy a Powerbook within the next three months and not wait for the 970 to make it into the laptop line? I will need to keep this computer through most of college, so I want it to be able to last a few years.

anti-sleep: forget what everyone else here says about "if you need one, just buy one." Today is June 4. The WWDC is in 20 days. If you can save your cash until then, at least we'll have a clue as to the future of the PowerMacs and possibly PowerBooks. Jobs may walk out onto stage with a 15" AluBook powered by the IBM PowerPC 970 @ 1.(2|4) GHz. Who knows. But it's a possibility. If he walks out on stage and only announces Panther, then you know it ain't worth waiting.

Me? I'm going to wait until the end of the summer. My PC will hold me over until the end. Hell I could upgrade my whole box for $500 and turn it into a smashing 3.0 GHz P4 with 512 MB RAM. But as for my 12" PowerBook I'm looking into, I want to see what happens at the WWDC and the PPC 970. If you've waited this long, I'm sure you can wait a few extra weeks.

[schmoe]

I don't expect a 970 based Powerbook soon. It would be really impressive if Apple did release one, but I imagine they care more about profitability and could sell more desktop PowerMacs based on the 970. Both desktop upgraders and people with a laptop who wanted a fast desktop would be likely to purchase one. The first release of a brand new architecture is likely to be buggy in any case.

That said, I'd definitely wait if I wanted a 15" The current model is really dated and has a lot of known cosmetic issues. The new model will likely be the final revision before 970, so it should be stable and reliable enough to get you through college.

[juanpacolopez]

Originally posted by schmoe:
I don't expect a 970 based Powerbook soon. It would be really impressive if Apple did release one, but I imagine they care more about profitability and could sell more desktop PowerMacs based on the 970. Both desktop upgraders and people with a laptop who wanted a fast desktop would be likely to purchase one. The first release of a brand new architecture is likely to be buggy in any case.

That said, I'd definitely wait if I wanted a 15" The current model is really dated and has a lot of known cosmetic issues. The new model will likely be the final revision before 970, so it should be stable and reliable enough to get you through college.

You make an excellent point about the first release of a new architecture. All these "wait for the 970" people are forgetting 1, VERY IMPORTANT issue. _IF_ a 970 hits a powerbook any time soon, it is NOT a small upgrade to the powerbook's internal workings. Apple doesn't exactly have the best track record with Rev. A hardware, and I think (if it even exists) that the 970 powerbook would be like, Rev. -A?

I'm not sure if I agree with the current model 15's being really dated (unless by dated you mean that the actual design is a couple years old)... while they don't have AE or Bluetooth, the 1ghz ti's have almost EXACTLY (or in some cases better... check the UT2003 demo benchmarks over in the game forum) the same performance as the new 17's, and significantly greater performance than the 12's.

Just my thoughts...

Alex

[golfer099]

You want this thing to last through college? You are graduating high school in 2004? I'd wait. I just graduated college and bought my powerbook g3 (bronze keyboard) in aug of 99. It was the newest at the time and has lasted me through college and hopefully till next year. I am even running 10.2.6 on it. With a few minor upgrades you can get anything to last, but if you aren't even a senior in hs yet, wait till at least january when they have the macworld expo. If you want it right away, i'd wait till after wwdc in june because you'll know soon if theres a new 15" model.

[mcs37]

Originally posted by juanpacolopez:
You make an excellent point about the first release of a new architecture. All these "wait for the 970" people are forgetting 1, VERY IMPORTANT issue. _IF_ a 970 hits a powerbook any time soon, it is NOT a small upgrade to the powerbook's internal workings. Apple doesn't exactly have the best track record with Rev. A hardware, and I think (if it even exists) that the 970 powerbook would be like, Rev. -A?

Let's not forget their were numerous reports of the 15" PowerBook having undergone "serious motherboard redesign" back in January, plus the snippets indicating that Apple just received a whole lot of PPC 970's from IBM, which could either be for PowerMacs or PowerBooks.

The problem is if they release a PPC 970 into the PowerMac world right now, a whole lot of people would wait until they moved to PPC 970 PowerBooks before buying. I know I would, and I know lots of others who would too. Why go for a several year-old 32-bit processor when you can wait a few months and get a brand-new IBM-made 64-bit processor that blows away everything else?

[Marchangel]

Hm, waiting - I made the experience, that nowadays computers lasts longer - you can handle most of the stuff you need to do. Its all about "real time. Most of todays software is snappy. For rendering and the real heavy stuff - if you have business with it buy the fastest machine available - and connect it to your Mac. Its windows? Never mind. Barebones are not that expensive, without great bucks you can get great performance for a computer that will work as a number crunching-"slave" via Giga-Ethernet. For the difference between 15" 867Mhz and 1Ghz you can get a small and fast machine to do number crunching really fast - buy an external LCD that supports DVI and VGA, and you are fine with every task imaginable. And dont need virtual PC.

I dont want to miss the experience with a mac for almost everything I am doing - wordprocessing, writing useless stuff in silly forums, browsing, making graphics, ripping a CD, watching a DVD or a DivX and so on. It works fluently with now generation hardware - and will in the future, I dont believe that OS X is going to slow you down - same for any other application, it speeds up.

A machine strong enough to deliever snappy OS X will last as long as the hardware stays. No need to worry :-)
We have more standards that will last - USB, Firewire, PDF, RTF etc. - in the past we had to deal with new "standards" evere second year. I think, that war is over now.

Ok, there is a little complaint: maybe Steven Jobs is going to release a truly revolutionary OS, 3D-holographic dimensions with real-time-rendered real-looking avatars talking to you with natural speech, around them files are displayed as video on spinn�ng 3D-objects, everything antialiased and no one uses resoultions lower than 1900x1200pixels min. Text-processing will then be a real blast :o)

Cheers
Markus